BBC2 11+ documentary

Discussion of the 11 Plus

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mm23292
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Joined: Wed Dec 01, 2010 10:57 am

Re: BBC2 11+ documentary

Post by mm23292 »

I don’t think anyone can deny how inappropriately this teacher handled that situation, in that clip as it was shown. But it would be wrong to draw inference beyond that. The girl was clearly a tad obnoxious, and the teacher clearly had an issue with her, as well she would. But you can’t project that onto an issue of colour, on the basis of one comparison between two apathetic kids...perhaps that’s taking it slightly too far!
mm23292
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Re: BBC2 11+ documentary

Post by mm23292 »

As for the poor girl being hounded to study A level maths by her mother. Helicopter parenting at its best! :lol:
Guest55
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Re: BBC2 11+ documentary

Post by Guest55 »

This series is a joke - it bears no relation to 'real-life'.
RedDevil66
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Re: BBC2 11+ documentary

Post by RedDevil66 »

mm23292 wrote:I don’t think anyone can deny how inappropriately this teacher handled that situation, in that clip as it was shown. But it would be wrong to draw inference beyond that. The girl was clearly a tad obnoxious, and the teacher clearly had an issue with her, as well she would. But you can’t project that onto an issue of colour, on the basis of one comparison between two apathetic kids...perhaps that’s taking it slightly too far!
In your opinion which you are entitled to. However, labeling her apathetic and obnoxious is also drawing an inference. And what does, " As well as she would." meant to imply? Justified? If you can't deal with that child in a pretty low level situation, you shouldn't be working with children.
I stated that based on personal experience and that of many friends. I watched that with a racially mixed group of adults and we all had similar feelings about the attitude. I never said it was racial bias on the part of the teacher but we were all left to draw our own conclusions about the adult. Mine was, that it struck a chord with me from many personal experiences. Would you like me to list them?
2childmum
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Location: S E London

Re: BBC2 11+ documentary

Post by 2childmum »

DD watched this with me yesterday - she is at a secondary modern at a similar distance from Townley, but in the opposite direction. She commented Erith was very similar to her school - she recognised a lot of the issues.

She is year 11 - she joined in year 10, and the class she was in had had 27 different science teachers in year 9. The 3 science teachers the school had recruited who taught her in years 10 and 11 (out of the 5 she has had in total) were all 'Research into schools' teachers who had just joined the programme - so training on the job. One had no idea how to teach, and eventually left part way through year 11, leaving behind a very confused and 'turned off' biology class. The others have been ok, and worked really hard, but the children were starting at such a low level of understanding that not all the GCSE content has been covered, and certainly not at the highest level. Even today, with physics paper tomorrow, DD has come across stuff which she hasn't covered properly.

My son, at a local grammar, never had these issues with teachers. Some were not that brilliant, but they all covered the specs, and, more to the point, were there for more than 5 mins at a time
salsa
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Re: BBC2 11+ documentary

Post by salsa »

I felt sorry for all at Erith. Poor students trying to do well and not having the teachers; the teacher trying to recruit, etc. What is true is that you would get a lot more money if you worked in the industry. It is a vicious circle with teachers not wanting to teach at schools deemed as needing improvement or inadequate and those children not being given a chance to learn and improve their grades.

I think that this programme shows why parents are so desperate to get their children into the Bexley or Kent grammar schools.

What this programme is not addressing is that only a small percentage of Bexley students have been going to the Bexley grammars since 2013. So, no argument about getting all the top Bexley students.

Salsa
daddyof3
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Re: BBC2 11+ documentary

Post by daddyof3 »

salsa wrote:I felt sorry for all at Erith. Poor students trying to do well and not having the teachers; the teacher trying to recruit, etc. What is true is that you would get a lot more money if you worked in the industry. It is a vicious circle with teachers not wanting to teach at schools deemed as needing improvement or inadequate and those children not being given a chance to learn and improve their grades.

I think that this programme shows why parents are so desperate to get their children into the Bexley or Kent grammar schools.

What this programme is not addressing is that only a small percentage of Bexley students have been going to the Bexley grammars since 2013. So, no argument about getting all the top Bexley students.

Salsa

I couldn't agree with you more Salsa. The demand for grammar schools will only increase.
mm23292
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Joined: Wed Dec 01, 2010 10:57 am

Re: BBC2 11+ documentary

Post by mm23292 »

RedDevil66 wrote:
mm23292 wrote:I don’t think anyone can deny how inappropriately this teacher handled that situation, in that clip as it was shown. But it would be wrong to draw inference beyond that. The girl was clearly a tad obnoxious, and the teacher clearly had an issue with her, as well she would. But you can’t project that onto an issue of colour, on the basis of one comparison between two apathetic kids...perhaps that’s taking it slightly too far!
In your opinion which you are entitled to. However, labeling her apathetic and obnoxious is also drawing an inference. And what does, " As well as she would." meant to imply? Justified? If you can't deal with that child in a pretty low level situation, you shouldn't be working with children.
I stated that based on personal experience and that of many friends. I watched that with a racially mixed group of adults and we all had similar feelings about the attitude. I never said it was racial bias on the part of the teacher but we were all left to draw our own conclusions about the adult. Mine was, that it struck a chord with me from many personal experiences. Would you like me to list them?
I don’t think there is any need for this tone. I’m sorry you’ve had negative experiences that make you draw this conclusion. But I’ve also had personal experience in the past, including one awful teacher who continuously singled me out for ridicule, to the point of wetting myself aged 8, in front of the entire class. Being laughed at, and stood over with folded arms while I mopped it up on my hands on knees, tears streaming down my face. I don’t know why she behaved like this, and I don’t have a peg to place it on either. Just as we don’t know why this particular teacher behaved the way she did towards this girl. To suggest it is because of her colour, is indeed an inference.
The girl’s behaviour was evident in terms of what was shown. Whether that could be termed, obnoxious, brazen or whatever, it was certainly not always endearing. That’s hardly an inference? And that’s not to say I didn’t feel sympathy towards her and the issues she had, it’s just acknowledging that it must be difficult for teachers at times, to keep their cool and show patient restraint! Which of course, they should.
RedVelvet
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Re: BBC2 11+ documentary

Post by RedVelvet »

A small point but I don't think we should be raising our daughters to be 'endearing'.
mike1880
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Joined: Sat Sep 27, 2008 10:51 pm

Re: BBC2 11+ documentary

Post by mike1880 »

That's a relief then. Chalk up one success at last!
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